System and method for monitoring and controlling a manufacturing environment

ABSTRACT

A system for monitoring and controlling a manufacturing environment is disclosed. Aspects discussed include beacons broadcasting identifying information for aspects of the manufacturing environment such as workstations, manufactured items, machines, equipment, and people. The identifying information may be used to generate reports about the operation of these and possibly other aspects, as well as provide control options for changing the manufacturing environment. Employees may move about the environment to visually monitor activities taking place, while the system may automatically query for additional information about the tools, equipment, people encountered in the environment. Control options for changing aspects of the manufacturing processes may also be automatically displayed as well.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/533,506 filed Jun. 6, 2017, which is a national stage ofPCT/US2016/030958 filed May 5, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/157,084 filed May 5, 2015, all of whichare hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

As tablets, smart phones, and other personal computing devices havebecome smaller and ever more powerful, their ability to interactwirelessly with other devices in the area has expanded significantly.With the early incorporation of Global Position Satellite (GPS), Wi-Fi,and Bluetooth® technology with cellular telephone capabilities, and themore recent addition of Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth®LE, mobile computing devices now have a growing range of wirelesscommunication options. One aspect of receiving information relates toreceiving information based on proximity to other mobile computingdevices or proximity to a particular geographical location.

Proximity based computing has found uses in many fields such as inretail where specific advertisements or promotional events may beautomatically sent to a smartphone as the user carries the phone near aspecific location (e.g. walking past a store front). Proximitytechnology may also be used to aid a user in moving around a complexenvironment such as a convention center, museum, shopping mall, themepark, or cruise ship. The use of proximity based computing may mean theuser can obtain the necessary information with little or no user inputbecause the device automatically “knows” the information as the usermoves around the environment.

A different example of a complex environment is a manufacturingfacility. Production lines in such facilities may produce everythingfrom microchips, aircraft, and automobiles, to hand bags, toys, andprepackaged food. Many such facilities cover thousands or millions ofsquare feet, and may employ thousands of workers. Numerous separate workareas or workstations may be present each configured to perform one ormore of the many steps that are often required to produce a finishedproduct. The facilities are commonly enclosed in steel or other metalscreating significant electromagnetic interference.

Manufacturers continually seek to find more efficient manufacturingprocesses to reduce costs and increase profits. Organizations ofteninvest considerable money and effort into developing a large and complexcorporate knowledge base containing large amounts of information aboutthe efficiency and profitability of the organization's current and pastproduction processes. Additional effort is often spent analyzing thedata to determine what changes in the processes need to be made in orderto lower costs and increase productivity.

However, maintaining these efficiency targets may require thatsupervisors have easy access to the corporate knowledge base as theymonitor the activities occurring in the production environment. Also, ifconditions change on the manufacturing floor, managers may need to makedecisions quickly to avoid a wide array of negative outcomes such asadditional expense, wasted materials and resources, production downtime, unacceptably low quality in the final product, damage to equipmentor facilities, or danger to employees. In many situations, making thesedecisions may be easier if the manager has access to the data, reports,etc. available in the corporate knowledge base. However, in many cases,access to this information may require leaving the productionenvironment, returning to the manager's office (perhaps hundreds orthousands of feet away), obtaining the information, then returning tothe location on the production line to analyze the information and makethe decision. This may result in an unacceptable delay.

SUMMARY

Disclosed is a system for monitoring and controlling a complexmanufacturing environment using beacon technology and proximity-basedreporting and control software. The system may use beacons positionedaround the production environment that are configured to work withsoftware operating on a computer such as a mobile computing device. As auser carries the mobile computing device around the manufacturingenvironment, the beacons may broadcast identifying information to themobile device allowing the software to automatically determine whichparticular workstations, machines, tools, work products, and/or peopleare nearby. The software may use this proximity information toautomatically access a company knowledge base and generate a userinterface with reports, graphs, or charts presenting relevant data. Theuser interface may also include control options configured to acceptinput from the user in order to modify the operation of the productionenvironment.

A supervisor or manager using the software may move about themanufacturing environment visually monitoring the activities takingplace, while maintaining access to the organization's knowledge base.Supervisors may thus have the ability to quickly obtain relevantinformation that may be helpful in adjusting the production processestaking place in the environment while remaining in close proximity, ableto personally monitor the situation.

The knowledge base may include, for example, data about items beingmanufactured, personnel, available resources, equipment, machines,workstations, financial aspects, performance aspects, and/or thefacility itself. Software modules that may be executed by the personalcomputing device may be configured to retrieve and/or report on this, orother data, at the user's request. The software modules may include areport module for generating reports, graphs and charts, a workstationmodule for retrieving information about a workstation such as the peopleassigned to it, an item module for obtaining data about an item such asits production history and projected completion date, a facility modulefor retrieving information about the facility such as a floor plan orits production capacity, a communication module for handlingcommunications with beacons and/or other wireless networking devices, aperformance module for retrieving information about the performance ofthe organization, a personnel module for retrieving information aboutindividual people, a resource module for monitoring resource usage, anequipment module for managing production equipment and/or machines, auser interface module for managing the user interface and acceptinginput from a user, and/or a financial module for retrieving financialdata about various aspects of the manufacturing environment.

The user interface module may use data about the facility and the signalstrength of nearby beacons to generate a map display showing whichbeacons are within range of the personal computing device. Some beaconindicators may appear and disappear from the map display as their rangefrom the computing device increases or decreases. Other beacons may bepositioned in static locations such as on workstations, walls, fixtures,and the like. These beacons may always appear in the map display inrelatively the same location. Beacons may be represented in the mapdisplay using any suitable indicia such as various colors, shapes,symbols, icons, and the like.

The personal computing device may receive data from a beacon identifyingthat particular beacon according to one networking protocol, and accessthe knowledge base using Wi-Fi or another wireless networking connectionthat may use a different communication protocol. While often a personalcomputing device may be portable, in certain arrangements it is may alsobe a stationary computer, any number of which may be positioned atvarious locations in the production environment.

Further forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages, andembodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent from adetailed description and drawings provided herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of one example ofa workstation in a manufacturing environment that includes a beacon formonitoring and controlling the workstation.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of another exampleof a workstation like the workstation in FIG. 1 having multiple beacons.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating components of one example ofa manufacturing environment that includes workstations like those ofFIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of communicationlinks between components of a system like the system in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of hardware,software, and data aspects of a system like the one in FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating one example of how a system like thesystem of FIGS. 1-5 may be used to monitor and control a manufacturingprocess.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of one example of a user interface for locating anddisplaying a map of beacons in a manufacturing environment like the oneillustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of one example of a user interface for displayingdata and control options for monitoring and controlling a manufacturingenvironment like the illustrated in FIGS. 1-7.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the user interface of FIG. 8 with auser interface like the one illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of one example of a beacon transmitter likethe transmitters illustrated in the preceding figures.

FIG. 11 illustrates two additional examples of beacon transmitters likethe transmitters illustrated in FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 12 is yet another example of a beacon transmitter like thetransmitters illustrated in FIGS. 1-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a schematic example of a workstation or workarea at 100 configured to manufacture items 102. Workstation 100 may beintegrated into a larger manufacturing environment with multiple otherworkstations, or workstation 100 may operate as a stand-alonemanufacturing environment. An item 102 being produced in themanufacturing process may be at (or “in”) workstation 100 positioned sothat technicians or workers 114 may continue the process of buildingitem 102. Materials and/or supplies 104 may be applied to item 102 usingtools 108 and/or equipment or machines 110 at workstation 100 accordingto a series of manufacturing steps. A computer 112 may be configured tocontrol machines 110 based on input by technicians 114. A supervisor 116may also be at or adjacent workstation 100 supervising or monitoring oneor more aspects of the manufacturing procedures taking place atworkstation 100. Supervisor 116 may be assigned to remain adjacentworkstation 100 or assigned to move around the production environmentperiodically visiting workstation 100. Multiple supervisors 116 may bein the production environment assigned to specific workstations ormoving around to monitor the environment as a whole.

In one example, workstation 100 may be the only station where allactivities performed in the manufacturing, testing, and packaging ofitems 102 occur. In another example, item 102 is at workstation 100 andmay have arrived at workstation 100 in an incomplete or partiallycompleted form. One example of such a workstation 100 is a workstationthat is included as part of an arrangement of multiple workstations 100such as in an assembly line. Item 102 may be produced or assembled instages and may arrive at workstation 100 so that additional componentsor subassemblies may be added. Materials, processes, equipment, and/orlabor or other resources may be employed to make changes to item 102before it is passed to a subsequent workstation. Sensors 120 positionedin the work area may be positioned to indicate when item 102 enters orexits workstation work area 128, or to detect and report othercharacteristics. Any suitable sensor 120 may be used such as pressuresensors, light curtain sensor arrays, and mechanical switches to name afew.

In another example, workstation 100 may also be a first, or originatingstation in a series of stations. Item 102 may be originally generated,constructed, formed, or otherwise brought into existence from rawmaterials. Examples of raw materials include ceramics, fossil fuels,base chemical elements, polymeric beads and the like. For example,workstation 100 may originate item 102 in a foundry or injection moldingmachines included in the workstation. The item may be created initiallyby transforming metallic substances or polymeric beads into complexthree-dimensional shapes under suitable heat and pressure inside a mold.Item 102 may then be passed along to subsequent workstations for furthermanufacturing steps or processes.

Supervisor 116 may be equipped with a monitoring computer 118 which maybe a personal computing device such as a tablet computer, smartphone, orlaptop computer. Computer 118 may include a receiver 126 that ismanufactured as part of the computer, or coupled to computer 118 as aseparate unit configured to be removable from computer 118. An exampleof a commercially available separate receiver is illustrated at 1200 inFIG. 12. Receiver 126 may be configured to respond to one or morefrequencies of electromagnetic radiation 124 broadcasting from aworkstation beacon 122. Examples of commercially available beacons thatmay be used are illustrated at 1000 in FIG. 10, and at 1100 and 1104 inFIG. 11. Electromagnetic radiation 124 may extend away from beacon 122in all directions in three-dimensional space where it may be detected bya receiver 126 positioned above or below beacon 122. In another example,electromagnetic radiation 124 may be broadcasted using an antenna orantenna system that is configured to focus or direct electromagneticradiation 124 in one direction more than in another direction that maybe opposite the first direction.

FIG. 2 illustrates at 200 another example of a workstation showing otherpeople, equipment, or machines that may be present at workstation 100during the manufacturing process. For example, equipment 208 may arriveat workstation 100 periodically or as needed bringing resources 214 viaa materials container 212 such as a pallet or bin. Resources 214 mayinclude raw materials, sub-assemblies, tools, equipment, and the likeused at workstation 100. Equipment 208 may be operated by a person orcontrolled by a computer configured to operate equipment 208 to deliverresources 214. A supervisor 116 with a computer 118 and receiver 126 maybe present to monitor and direct activities at workstation 100. Amanager 206 with a second computer 118 also having a receiver 126 may bepresent to monitor supervisor 116 and direct activities at workstation100 as well.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, beacons like beacon 122 may be positionedelsewhere in the work environment other than at a workstation 100. Awork piece beacon 202 may operate like beacon 122 and may be coupled toitem 102. Beacon 202 may be temporarily coupled to item 102 and laterremoved, or beacon 202 may be manufactured as part of item 102 anddeactivated later or allowed to continue transmitting after completionand delivery. Beacon 202 may be configured to broadcast a unique beaconID which may be represented as a single field with a unique ID, ormultiple fields that together define a unique ID for a given beacon 202.For example, all beacons 202 may transmit a UUID common to a particularorganization, a major field identifier common to a specific facility,factory, work center in a factory and the like, and a minor fieldidentifier unique to each item 102. For example, the minor fieldidentifier may include a serial number or other unique identifier for anitem 102. The combination of UUID, major field, and minor field may beuseful as a composite key identifying an individual beacon coupled to aspecific item 102.

A personal beacon 204 may operate like beacon 122 and/or 202 and may becoupled to a person such as a technician or worker 114, supervisor 116,a manager 206, or any other member of an organization. Beacon 204 may,for example, be included with an employee's organizational credentials.An employee access card, for example, may be worn by a person 114, 116,or 206 or other person and may include beacon 204 thus allowing beacon204 to always be present when the person has their organizationalcredentials.

Beacon 204 may be configured to broadcast a unique beacon ID which maybe represented as a single field with a unique ID, or multiple fieldsthat together define a unique ID for a given beacon 204. For example,the minor field identifier may include an employee ID number or otherunique identifier for a person that is part of a particularorganization. The combination of UUID, major field, and minor field maybe useful as a composite key or unique beacon ID identifying a specificbeacon coupled to a specific person 114, 116, or 206.

In another example, an equipment beacon 210 may operate like beacons122, 202, and/or 204 and may be coupled to a machine 110 or piece ofequipment such as equipment 208. Examples include stationary devicessuch as manufacturing robots, foundries, presses, stamping machines,milling machines, welders, conveyers, water jets, lifts, automatedinventory retrieval systems, and the like; or mobile equipment ormachines such as lift trucks, pallet jacks, robots, bulldozers,excavators, tractors, loaders, cranes, boats, barges, or aircraftincluding remotely or automatically piloted aerial drones.

Beacon 210 may be configured to broadcast a unique beacon ID which maybe represented as a single field with a unique ID, or multiple fieldsthat together define a unique ID for a given beacon 210. For example,all beacons 210 may transmit a UUID common to an organization, a majorfield identifier common to a specific facility or organizational unitwithin a facility, and a minor field identifier unique to a specificmachine or piece of equipment. For example, the minor field identifiermay include a machine ID number or other unique identifier for a machineassigned to a particular role or organization. The combination of UUID,major field, and minor field may be useful as a composite key or uniquebeacon ID identifying a specific beacon coupled to a specific machine110 or equipment 208.

With beacons like beacons 122, 202, 204, and 210 in the a workenvironment, supervisors or managers 116,206 respectively, may be ablereceive data about the operations of the various workstations, machines,equipment, and the like, as well as track the progress of items producedand individuals involved in the manufacturing process. A manager maymove from one place to another in the manufacturing environmentpositioning receiver 126 within range of any of the afore mentionedbeacons. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a manager 116operating a monitoring computer 118 may move within range of signalsfrom an adjacent beacon 122 as the manager visits a workstation 100. Amanager 116 may similarly move receiver 126 adjacent a specific item102, or adjacent a machine 110 or equipment 208 which may be stationary,temporarily stopped, or passing by.

A manager may thus be able to visually perceive the manufacturingactivities taking place while computer 118 may automatically update withrelevant data without user input. Data received from beacons in the workenvironment may be used by software executed by computer 118 toautomatically query for and retrieve detailed data and/or reports from acorporate knowledge base providing detailed information about theactivities taking place, and optionally offering controls that allow themanager to modify the behavior of the equipment, machines, and peopleinvolved in the manufacturing process. Other individuals, who may or maynot be present in the work environment, my then retrieve thisinformation from the knowledge base. In one example, the system mayautomatically track whether supervisors, managers, or other employeesmove past one or more specified locations with a given period of time(e.g. check in at a particular workstation or at least once every twohours, once a week, once a month, and the like).

With this and other information stored in the knowledge base, the systemmay provide reports on whether a specific employee, group of employees,or individual filling a role was present as required, and for how long.In another example, the system may be configured to display a timeline,animation, list of log entries, or other useful visual or textual reportindicating the path taken by an employee, manager, and/or supervisorover a predetermined period of time. An person's action may then be“replayed” based upon locations visited. Such replay reports may be foractions taken in a single day, in a week, in a month, or for any othersuitable period of time.

Workstation 100 may include a receiver 216. Receiver 216 may be coupledto computer 112 and configured to respond to broadcast from any ofbeacons 202, 204, 210, and others. For example, receiver 216 may beconfigured to register the presence of items 102 as they move throughthe work area. One way this may be accomplished is for receiver 216 toreceive identifying data from a broadcasting beacon 202 identifying aspecific item 102. This identifying data may be received as item 102approaches workstation 101. When item 102 is positioned between sensors120, computer 112 may be programmed to send a notification or update arecord in a knowledge base indicating that an item 102 has arrived atworkstation 100. A separate notification or update may be logged whenitem 102 passes beyond sensors 120 and receiver 216 is out of range ofbeacon 202.

Additional detail of such an environment is illustrated in FIG. 3showing examples of beacons positioned around a manufacturingenvironment 300. Beacons 122, 202, 204, and 210 are illustrated in FIG.3 as “dots” positioned in association with multiple production assetssuch as at workstations, on (or in) items 102 being manufactured, onpeople, and on (or in) equipment or machines. Manufactured items passalong a path 302 in the direction of arrows 304 as they move from oneworkstation to another. Path 302 may include a single conveyer systemfor moving the items at a predetermined rate from one station to thenext. Path 302 may also include a conveyer system where separateconveyers move items from one station to the next, leaving whentechnicians move the item out of the first station onto a conveyerheading toward the second. In another example, path 302 may be an openarea without conveyers delimited to show where items on rollers,casters, dollies, pallet jacks, and the like are allowed to freely moveas they are moved from one workstation to another. Any suitable systemfor moving items through the various workstations 102 in themanufacturing environment may be used.

FIG. 3 is one conceptual example of a manufacturing environment shouldbe considered illustrative rather than restrictive as any suitablearrangement of workstations, work areas, machines, technicians,supervisors, equipment, etc. is envisioned.

For example, a supervisor 116A is illustrated adjacent a final portionof path 302 adjacent workstation 100A near where items 102A, 102B, and102C are located. Equipment 208A and 208B operate to remove items 102from path 302 for inventory. Technicians 114A and 114B may be positionedat workstation 100A and may be carrying personal beacons 204A and 204Brespectively (E.g., beacons 204A and 204B may be embedded in theiremployee ID badges issued by the organization). A supervisor 116A maymove past various stations and as a result may carry a personal beacon204C and a monitoring computer 118A. A manager 206A may be positioned ata manager's workstation 306A with a monitoring computer 118B andcarrying a personal beacon 204D. A manager's workstation beacon 308A mayalso be present. Workstation 100 may include a workstation receiver216B, and managers workstation 306 a may include a workstation receiver216B. Workstation receivers 216 may be used to receive data from beaconsthus passing by allowing the system to track the movements of specificpeople, items, and/or equipment into and out of an area adjacent toworkstation 100A or managers workstation 306.

Supervisor 116A may be in range of beacons 102A, 102B, 102C, 204A, 204B,204C (the manager's own beacon), 204D, 122A, 208A, 208B, and 308A. Otherbeacons in the manufacturing environment may be out of range dependingon their output power signal attenuation and other factors. For example,some of the aforementioned beacons may be out of range of a receiver insupervisor 116A's monitoring computer 118A. A supervisor arriving atworkstation 100A may therefore be able to receive data from a number ofbeacons, some moving, some stationary.

Supervisor 116A may be able to use software in computer 118A that isconfigured to receive the transmitted data and use it to access a widerange of additional detailed data and/or generate reports showing anyinformation in the organization's knowledge base regarding technicians114A and 114B, workstation 100A, equipment 208A and 208B, employees 116Aand 206A, and items 102A, 102B, and 102C. Such data may include dataabout the work habits and productivity of technicians 114A and 114Bcurrently assigned to workstation 100A, employees previously stationedat workstation 100A and their productivity, employees scheduled to workat workstation 100A in future shifts, the resources used by employees atworkstation 100A and how those usage rates compare to other workstationsor other employees on other shifts. The software may be configured toallow access to the maintenance history of tools or machines atworkstation 100A, and/or change the operating parameters of machines atworkstation 100A or adjust the work assignments of technicians assignedto workstation 100A in current or future shifts.

Software in computer 118A may be configured to use data transmitted fromitem beacons 202A, 202B, and 202C to retrieve data and/or generatereports regarding items 102 arriving, currently being worked on, andleaving workstation 100A. Such reports may include a list of parts orsubassemblies added to the items at workstation 100A or at otherworkstations, a history of manufacturing exceptions, mistakes, and/orrepairs, occurring at workstation 100A or other workstations the items102A-C passed through, or any other relevant information useful fordetermining what changes to make in the manufacturing process, if any.

Data made available via beacons 202A-C (or any of the other beaconsdiscussed herein) may also serve for quality control purposes and/orproduct safety audit. For example, the software may determine what partswere included in items 102A-C using the unique IDs sent by beacons202A-C. The software may then automatically search for and report partsin items 102 that may have been found to be detective, outsidemanufacturing specifications, or otherwise unfit for delivery. Thesoftware may be configured to automatically update the knowledge basewhen safety or quality issues are detected. Alerts records may also beautomatically generated and other actions may be taken up to andincluding quarantining items, shutting down the production line,executing the building and the like.

The software in computer 118A may also be configured to receivetransmitted data from beacons 212A and 212B and use it to access dataand reports related to equipment 208A or 208B. Such information mayinclude the maintenance history, the time-on-task, operating costs,repair history, blueprints, schematics, or operator's manuals. Thesoftware may be configured to accept input from supervisor 116A taking,for example, equipment 208A out of service and requesting a repair orroutine maintenance be performed, and/or requesting another piece ofequipment 208 be sent.

The software operating on computer 118A or on another computer such ascomputer 112A may allow manager 206A at manager's workstation 306A toperform similar monitoring of items 102, workstation 100A, equipment208A and the like, while also monitoring and obtaining information aboutsupervisor 116A based on the unique ID information broadcast by beacon204C. Manager 206A may be able to determine how frequently supervisor116A visits workstation 100A or other workstations, the types of reportsaccessed by supervisor 116A, and the changes to the production processrequested by supervisor 116A. The software may allow manager 206A toapprove or deny requests for such changes, as well as requests for newequipment, machines, or resources, and the like.

In another example, workstation 100B at the start of the illustratedproduction process may include a beacon 122B, a computer 112B, and amachine 110A. Machine 110A may be operated or controlled by technicians114C and 114D at workstation 100B and may include equipment or machinebeacons 210C. Workstation 100B may also include a workstation receiver216B useful for detecting the presence of beacons associated withpeople, items, or equipment as they pass into and out of an areaadjacent workstation 100B. The software in computer 118C may beconfigured to receive transmitted data from any nearby beacon such asworkstation beacon 122B and/or equipment beacons 210C mounted on amachine 110A, and 210D mounted on equipment 208C. As discussed above,the transmitted data may be used to access any available informationand/or generate reports using identifying date sent by the beacons.

For example, keys or IDs transmitted by beacons 210C or 210D may be usedto access records about the accompanying machines or equipment. Suchinformation may include the maintenance history, the time-on-task,operating costs, repair history, blueprints, schematics, or operator'smanuals. The software may be configured to accept input from supervisor116B taking, for example, equipment 208C out of service and requesting arepair or routine maintenance be performed, and/or requesting anotherpiece of equipment 208 be sent.

In another example, the information accessed may include operatingparameters for equipment 208C or machine 110A that may be adjusted. Thesoftware may generate a user interface displaying user interfacecontrols that are configured to accept input from a user such assupervisor 116B. The user input may be used by the software to issuecommands or update operating parameters in machine 110A and/or equipment208C.

These commands may be used for any suitable purpose. For example, theuser interface may present buttons or other control options configuredto control the machine to turn on or off, to activate or change anaudible or visual signal such as by changing the color of a light oricon on a display (e.g. from red to yellow, from yellow to green, etc.).The control may optionally cause an indicator at the workstation, or onthe equipment or machine to flash, cause an alarm to sound, or anycombination thereof. The controls in the user interface generated by thesoftware may optionally be configured to change the display of aschedule, graph, image, or any other aspect of a user interfacedisplayed on a display device at the workstation, equipment, or machineto indicate a change in status or an update to current work flow such asto indicate the next task to work on.

In another example, the software my generate a user interface thatincludes controls for sending and/or installing an update to the controlsoftware in machine 110A, modifying the positioning of a tool operatedautomatically by machine 110A such as a drill bit, machining head, waterjet nozzle, and the like. In another example, operating parameters maybe changed such as the operating speed of a rotating tool such as amilling machine or drill bit. In another example, operating parametersmay include the viscosity, fluid pressure, and/or application rate for acoating automatically applied by machine 110A. In yet another example,operating parameters may include duty cycle, speed of movement, andposition for a robotic spot welder. In another example, the parameters

These are but a few nonlimiting examples. The software may be configuredto change the behavior of machines or equipment in the productionenvironment based on identifying data broadcast by the beacon that mayalso be associated with information in the knowledge base.

One example of the relationship between beacons, computers, networks,and knowledge bases in the manufacturing environment is illustrated inFIG. 4 at 400. As discussed above, workstation, equipment, and personalbeacons like beacons 122, 210, and 204 (and others) mentioned herein maybe configured to supply a portion of the data necessary to retrieveinformation about the production environment. The broadcasted data mayinclude a predefined string of alphanumeric characters uniquelyidentifying and distinguishing one broadcasting beacon from otherbroadcasting beacons. These beacons may broadcast data using aparticular protocol. This protocol may be the same as, or differentfrom, other networking and/or communication protocols used by variouscomputers, networks, and related hardware and software in themanufacturing environment.

For example, beacons 122, 210, and 204 may use the Bluetooth® LEprotocol to broadcast datagrams with fields uniquely identifying onebeacon from another. This unique identifier may then be used by softwareexecuted on a computer 118 or 112 to initiate queries or requests usinga separate network that utilizes the Transmission ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocol connect to a knowledge base408. The knowledge base may execute the queries or fulfill the requestsin any suitable manner transmitting the data or reports to therequesting computer over the TCP/IP network. In other words, datareceived using a first network using a first networking protocol may beused to initiate requests for data using a second network and acorresponding second networking protocol.

As are illustrated in FIG. 4, a knowledge base 408 may communicate witha network 402 using the TCP/IP networking protocol to communicatebetween knowledge base 408 and computers 112 and 118. These connectionsmay be wired connections, or wireless connections 404 using a Wi-Fidevice 406. Data about the position of items in the manufacturingenvironment may be obtained by sensors 120 and passed to computer 112.As items move past a sensor 120, or set of sensors 120, the position ofthat item may be collected and updated in knowledge base 408 by acomputer 112. The position of an item may also be automatically updatedin the knowledge base 408 using workstation receivers 216 atworkstations or at other known positions around the manufacturingenvironment. Receivers 126 may also be included in or coupled tocomputers 112 and may be configured to serve a similar function wherecomputers 112 may be positioned in known locations such as atworkstations 100 and 306. As items, people, machines, or equipment, orother devices with beacons transmitting identifying information movethrough the production process, knowledge base 408 may be updated basedon the identifying information and the known position of receivers 126and/or 216 in the production environment.

Additional details regarding the software, hardware, and data aspects ofa system like the one illustrated in FIG. 1-4 appears in FIG. 5 at 500.Knowledge base 408 may include data about items being manufactured 546,personnel 548, available resources 550, equipment 552, machines 560,workstations 562, financial aspects 554, performance aspects 556, and/orthe facility 558. Data in knowledge base 408 may be accessed by acomputer 502 which may be like computers 112 and/or 118. Computer 502may be configured to operate according to instructions in software 504which may include one or more software modules. Software 504 modules mayinsert, query, delete, and/or update data in knowledge base 408 usingnetwork 402. The illustrated software modules represent examples ratherthan a restrictive set. Any suitable software modules may be included.For example, some software modules may combine functionality fromseveral of the modules illustrated at 500 while the functionality ofsome of the illustrated modules may be further separated into othermodules.

A report module 506 may be included to configure computer 502 togenerate reports illustrating data stored in knowledge base 408. Reportmodule 506 may include statistical analysis and presentation algorithmsfor calculating and presenting statistical relationships using one ormore data values. Report module 506 may also configure computer 502 togenerate a graphical or textual report illustrating relationshipsbetween aspects of the manufacturing processes taking place. Someexamples of such reports appear in FIGS. 8 and 9.

A workstation module 508 may be included, configuring computer 502 toperform workstation related functions such as responding to sensors 120when an item is present in work area 128. Workstation module 508 mayalso configure computer 502 to collect data about resources consumed ata given workstation, collect data about available tools and machinesused at a given workstation, monitor machine or equipment up time and/ordowntime, monitor the activities of employees operating a givenworkstation, and the like.

Workstation module 508 may provide automatic updates to workstationrelated data. For example, workstation module may update statusinformation in workstation data 562, facility data 558, equipment data552, and/or machine data 560 when certain workstation related datavalues satisfy pre-configured rules. In one example, a rule may betriggered when a machine at a workstation is about to run out of anecessary resource such a wire for a wire welder, fasteners, paint, etc.In another example, a rule may be triggered when a machine at aworkstation fails, requiring a temporary work stoppage for some or allof the workstations. This type of rule based updates or alerts may beused by any of the software modules 504 allowing supervisors andmanagers to configure alerts and updates as conditions change during themanufacturing process.

An item module 510 (or “job” module) may be included configuringcomputer 502 to access data about an item being manufactured or a job tobe performed at the workstation. This data may include blueprints,schematics, diagrams, or other requirement documents. The data may alsoinclude when a task was started in relation to an item, whether the taskwas completed, and/or other status information related to the item atvarious stages of the manufacturing process. Item data 546 accessed byitem module 510 may include a likelihood of meeting a target deadline,remaining tasks required to complete an item, remaining resourcesrequired versus resources available, and any tools, machines, equipment,and/or expertise necessary to complete the item. Any other suitableinformation about an item or job may be calculated or accessed by itemmodule 510.

A facility module 512 may be included for manipulating or accessing dataabout the manufacturing facility. This facility data may includereferences to workstation data 510, item data 546, personnel data 548,resource data 550, equipment data 552, financial data 554, and the like.Employee performance, facility performance, or other types ofperformance information may also be accessed by facility module 512.Facility module 512 may be configured to access blueprints, floor plans,workflow plans, details about maintenance of various aspects of facilitysuch as heating ventilating and air conditioning, building codecompliance information, and the like stored in knowledge base 408.Facility module 512 may also be instrumental in providing maps orlayouts of beacons positioned around the facility, an example of whichis illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9 and discussed herein elsewhere.

A communication module 514 may be included to configure computer 502 toaccess data from various network resources including wired or wirelessnetworks, as well as data that may be presented to computer 502 througha workstation beacon 122, item beacon 202, equipment beacon 210, and/ora personnel beacon 204. Communication module 514 may include softwarefor communicating using multiple networking protocols and networkdevices. Communication module 514 may also monitor and send updates toknowledge base 408 indicating the availability of nearby beacons and anyreceivers used by computer 502.

A performance module 516 may be included for tabulating, collating,analyzing, organizing, querying, or otherwise manipulating data storedin knowledge base 408 to calculate or analyze performance related data.Performance metrics may include the uptime for a particular station,machine, piece of equipment, and/or facility into of usage rates forvarious resources such as fuel, parts, labor, and/or materials;production or task performance related to aspects of the productionprocess. Performance module 516 may access personnel data 548 todetermine employee productivity metrics such as amount of work producedper hour, cost per day for salaries and/or wages, trends inproductivity, cost of production per unit time, productivity lostbecause of mistakes made in production, productivity lost because ofsickness, vacation, or other time away from work.

Personnel module 518 may be configured to access data in knowledge base408 such as personnel data 548 or performance data 556. Data aboutpersonnel may include performance evaluations, history of access tovarious facilities or computers, time away from work, time at work,current work assignments, team members and/or managers, salary history,and other work history related information for one or more employees orowners. Personnel data may include identifying information for employeessuch as name, address, facility or location within a facility, emailaddress and the like. Personnel data may include credentials for logginginto a corporate computer such as computer 502, knowledge base 408, andthe like such as a username, password, biometric data such asfingerprints, or other identifying information used to distinguish oneemployee from another.

Software 504 may include a resource module 520 configured to accessresource data 550, or any other resource related data in knowledge base408. Resource module 520 may, for example, provide access to data aboutavailable supplies or resources used in the manufacturing process suchas fuel, parts, subassemblies, raw materials, electricity, tools,machines, employees, and the like. Resource data 550 may also includedata about network bandwidth, server capacity, available memory, and thelike. Information about goods or services involved in the manufacturingprocess that may be used during the production of items or theperformance of tasks may be available using resource module 520.

Equipment module 522 may include software for retrieving and organizingdata such as equipment data 552 or machine data 560 used during theproduction process. Equipment data 552 may include data about anycombination of the following: hand tools such as drills, saws,screwdrivers, and wrenches; power tools such as table saws, radial armsaws, welders, lathes, drill presses, milling machines, and the like;computers and other control devices for production or diagnostic worksuch as digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, electromagnetic signalstrength testing devices, or general-purpose computers configured withmodeling, diagnostic, quality control and/or testing software;production line equipment such as conveyors, sensors, manufacturingrobots, lift trucks, pallet jacks; and/or heavy equipment such ascranes, excavators, loaders, trucks, cement mixers, cement pumps, roadgraders, bulldozers, tractors, and the like.

A user interface module 524 may also be provided for generating userinterfaces with graphical buttons, windows, text boxes, selection boxes,and other widgets which may be accessible using any suitable inputdevice such as a touch screen, mouse, or keyboard. User interface module524 may also display various glyphs, figures, icons, graphs, charts,tabular displays, and the like which may or may not be modified orinteracted with using any suitable input device. User interface module524 may be used in conjunction with other software modules to providenavigational control between various presentations of information, toaccept character or selection input from an input device, and/or togenerate graphical displays on a display device of relevant dataaccessed by other software modules. User interface module 524 mayoperate in conjunction with operating system 528 which may includelibraries of windowing widgets, basic input/output capabilities, andbasic file system and network interfaces for user interface module 524and for other software modules as well.

A financial module 526 may be included for accessing data from theknowledge base 408 related to financial aspects of manufacturingoperations such as financial data 554 or other data. Data accessed,organized, or analyzed by financial module 526 may include cost datarelated to materials, equipment, goods, or services consumed in theproduction process, and/or cost data related to labor, utilities, andthe like. Financial module 526 may provide cost or profit informationfor a given process involving particular parts, materials, resources,and/or employees. Financial module 526 may be used to generateinformation based on an individual station, a portion of a productionenvironment including multiple stations, information about a singleemployee, or team of employees, or about a production line within afacility, or multiple production lines in multiple facilities.

Computer 502 may include various hardware and software componentspresent in any computer discussed herein such as computers 112, and 118.Computer 502 may include any combination of software modules 504.Receiver 530 may operate like receiver 126 or 216 receivingelectromagnetic signals such as signals transmitted by a beacon 122,202, 204, 210, and other similar beacon. Multiple receivers 530 may beincluded as needed and configured to receive different wavelengths orranges of frequencies transmitted by adjacent beacons. A Wi-Fi beaconand/or receiver 532 may be included as well for transmitting andreceiving electromagnetic energy in frequency ranges used by wirelessnetworking systems. Access to Wi-Fi may allow computer 502 to be carriedabout a facility or other work area while maintaining network access toknowledge base 408. A display device 534 may also be included such as amonitor or multiple monitors. A network device 536 may be included andconfigured to access network 402 or other networks using one or morenetworking protocols. A processor 540, user I/O devices 542, and memory544 may be included in computer 502 as well.

One example of a process for monitoring and controlling a manufacturingenvironment according to the present disclosure is illustrated at 600 inFIG. 6. A computer such as a monitoring computer 118 may be repositionedfrom the first location to a second location allowing a receiver such asreceiver 126 to detect a beacon at 602. Software 504 such ascommunication module 514 may decode data from the transmitted signal at604, the decoded data may include an identifier that is optionally aunique identifier, and may include multiple data fields of the decodeddata, or a single data field alone. The identifier may be used by any ofthe software modules 504 to query the knowledge base at 606 searchingfor relevant data for display in a report user interface at 608.Software modules such as report module 506 and user interface module 524may be configured to generate reports and a user interface fordisplaying the reports.

The report user interface may include user interface controls configuredto accept input from a user for requesting additional reports or data.The user interface module may also be configured to display controloptions at 616 allowing a user to adjust the operation of themanufacturing environment as discussed herein elsewhere. If a user wantsmore reports or data, user input defining a request or query for theadditional information may be accepted from the user at 610. Anotherquery or series of queries to knowledge base 408 may be executed at 612and the results processed by report module 506 and user interface module524 at 614. One or more control options may be displayed by userinterface module 524 at 616 providing a user with control options basedon the data retrieved from knowledge base 408.

The system may accept control input from a user at 620 using the controloptions displayed at 616. Any suitable control options may be providedby the user interface module 524. The user may for example provide inputdefining a request for a safety inspection of a particular station,facility, area of the production line, and the like at 622. Controlinput may also include input defining a request for new, additional, orreplacement tools or supplies at 624. Input 620 may include inputdefining an adjustment to the operating parameters for a tool, machine,or other equipment used in the production process at 626. Control input620 may include input defining a change to production assignments at628, or an order for repairs at 630. Other examples include inputdefining a request for a personnel change at 632, a request to reassignpersonnel to different tasks, or a change in overall production lineparameters at 634. Such production line parameters may include the speedat which items move along an automated production line, the introductionor removal of stations along the line, the addition or removal ofrequired resources, goods, or services, and the like.

Control input from 620 may be accepted by the user interface and anycorresponding changes to the control parameters updated at 636. Theresulting change to the production process, machinery, equipment, workassignments, and the like may then take place immediately, be reviewedfor approval by others in the organization before implementation, or bescheduled for later implementation such as during off hours or during apreviously scheduled period of inactivity. Thus a manager, supervisor,or other employee using a computer such as a personal computing devicemay move about a production facility obtaining data about nearbyproduction stations, equipment, or items allowing an organization tomake adjustments to changing conditions in the manufacturingenvironment.

Interactions with beacons positioned around a manufacturing facility maybe aided by a user interface that includes a map display like the mapdisplay illustrated in FIG. 7 at 700. Such an interface may be displayedby user interface module 524 alone or in conjunction with other modulessuch as workstation module 508 and facility module 512. User interface700 may include a facility map display 704 according to facility data558, equipment data 552, and/or workstation data 562. The map displaymay be configured to appear when the location control 720 is selected.The display may be configured in any suitable manner and may includeareas 716 delimited by lines, shading, or other indicia indicating oneor more areas within the production environment where certain aspects ofthe manufacturing process take place. These aspects may be labeledaccordingly with labels 718.

Indicia 714 such as dots, icons, and the like, may appear in map display704 indicating the location of one or more beacons like beacons 122,202, 204, 210, and 530. The indicia 714 may include colors or otherindications of the type of beacon at a given location. For exampleworkstation beacons 122 may appear with indicia 714 that is a differentcolor than an indicia 714 indicating the presence of any other kind ofbeacon. In another example, item beacons 202 may be presented as yellow,equipment beacons 210 may be presented as green, and so forth.

Marking indicia 710 may appear as one or more rings around indicia 714indicating which beacons are currently transmitting data that is beingreceived by a receiver coupled to the computer displaying interface 700.Additional indicators such as additional rings 712 may indicate thetransmitted data that is currently being used to generate reports, andmay further indicate the current workstation, machine, etc. to which, orabout which, any control updates may be sent. The user may then selectan available beacon by any suitable means such as using an input devicelike a pointing device or by touching the display device.

Indicia 714 may temporarily appear or disappear in map display 704, ormay move around within map display 704. For example, to the extent thatmap display 704 corresponds with the production environment illustratedin FIG. 3, the current receiver may be receiver 126 in computer 118Acarried by supervisor 116A. The resulting indicia 710E corresponds toitem beacon 202A, 710H corresponds to a personal beacon 204A, 710Fcorresponds to personal beacon 204B, 710A corresponds to workstationbeacon 112A, 710G corresponds to personal beacon 204C, 710D correspondsto item beacon 202B, and 710B and 710C correspond to equipment beacons210B and 210A respectively. Item beacons are coupled to items 102meaning that as these items pass through the work environment, indicia710E and 710D may move around map display 704, and eventually disappearfrom map display 704 when the beacons coupled to these items move out ofrange of computer 118A. The relative positioning of, and movement of,indicia 710 may be obtained, for example, based on signal strength datasent by the beacons within range of the current receiver. Suchpositioning information may be useful for confirming the location andtype of beacon the corresponding indicia 710 represents. The same may besaid for indicia 710F, 710G, and 710H which correspond to personalbeacons 204B, 204C, and 204A respectively. These beacons may also movebecause they are carried by technicians 114B, manager 206A, andtechnician 114A.

An activation control 702 may be configured to control communicationmodule 514 to activate or deactivate a receiver like receiver 126 orreceiver 530. A details display providing additional information aboutthe current and/or other available beacons may be displayed by selectingthe details user interface control 706. A logging or debugging displaymay be included and accessed by selecting the logging user interfacecontrol 708. The logging display may be helpful to, for example,troubleshoot problems arising from the hardware, software, and networkinteractions taking place between nearby beacons, the hardware aspectsof the computer displaying the user interface 700, the installedsoftware modules 504, network 402, and knowledge base 408.

Indicia 710 and/or 714 may appear and disappear as the signalsbroadcasted from nearby beacons become attenuated beyond the currentreceiver's ability to receive the data being sent. User interface module524 and/or communication module 514 may be configured to interpretreceived signal strength data provided by the current receiver todetermine when and where to display indicia 710/714 for a given beacon.When the received signal strength calculations yield a result that isabove a first predetermined target or threshold, the correspondingindicia 710/714 may appear in map display 704. One or more indicia710/714 may be removed from map display 704 when the received signalstrength calculation yields a result that is below a secondpredetermined target. The first and second predetermined target valuesmay be the same value, or they may be different values. If differentvalues are used, this difference may be manually or automaticallyconfigured to allow indicia to remain in the display longer when thesignal strength begins to weaken. Beacons with values between the firstand second target thresholds may be presented using additional indiciain map display 704 such as a change in color, an additional icon, andthe like, indicating that transmission is weakening and may be nearingthe limit of the receiver's ability to detect it.

User interface module 524, report module 506, and any other softwaremodules 504 may be configured to create the report user interface shownin FIG. 8 at 800. One or more charts or graphs 802 with graphical ortextual representations of data 836 may be generated and displayed.Report controls 804 may be included providing options for additionalreporting and/or additional query functionality.

Detailed information from knowledge base 408 may be retrieved and/ordisplayed using a details control 806. Control options 808 may bedisplayed (e.g. see FIG. 6 at 616) providing options for controlling theproduction environment. In the illustrated example, safety control 810may be configured to accept input from a user causing the user interfacemodule 524 to display additional safety related controls such ascontrols for requesting a safety inspection (see FIG. 6 at 622). A toolcontrol 812 may be configured to display a user interface withadditional controls for requesting tools, while a supplies control 814may be configured to display a user interface with additional controlsfor requesting new supplies or additional quantities of existingsupplies. The operating parameters control 816 may be configured to opena user interface with controls configured to adjust operating parametersfor a given station, machine, tool, piece of equipment, and the like. Amaintenance control 818 may be configured to generate a user interfacefor requesting maintenance. A production line control 820 may beconfigured to generate a user interface with controls configured toadjust production line parameters thus reallocating resources, machines,equipment, or employees, adjusting the rate of production, etc.Production assignments control 822 may be configured to display a userinterface with controls configured to adjust production assignments forstations, equipment, tools, employees, and the like.

Other control options 824 may provide query and reporting for items 826,personnel related matters 828, orders 830, attendance related matters832, and work center related issues 834. A receiver control 836 may alsobe shown in user interface 800. The receiver control may be configuredto activate or deactivate the current receiver such as a receiver 126.

An example of user interface 800 with the current receiver set to scanfor available beacons (836) is illustrated in FIG. 9 at 900. Userinterface 900 is similar to user interface 800 with the addition of awindow 902 having a user interface similar to user interface 700 in FIG.7. In window 902 is shown a map display 906 with location control 908,details control 910, and a logging control 912. As illustrated, locationcontrol 908 is selected indicating the relative locations of one or morebeacons 916 within regions 914 using indicia such as icons, symbols, andcolors as discussed above. Additional indicia 918 are shown based onproximity to the receiver. User interface 900 may display indicia 918 inrelation to some beacons indicating they are close enough to thereceiver to send identifying data. Separate indicia indicating whichbeacon has been chosen appears at 904. Thus the data and information inthe reports and controls appear in the user interface 900 based on theselection of a nearby beacon 916 displayed in window 902.

The concepts illustrated and disclosed herein include, or may also beconfigured according to, any of the following numbered non-limitingexamples:

Example 1

-   -   A system for controlling an apparatus in a production        environment according to user input, comprising a server coupled        to the apparatus by a computer network, the server having a        database that includes the present values for one or more        operating parameter values indicating a current operating status        of the apparatus;    -   a wireless transmitter adjacent the apparatus, the transmitter        configured to automatically transmit data packets wirelessly,        the data packets including a reference value representing the        expected signal strength of the transmitter at a fixed distance;        and    -   a portable computer wirelessly coupled to the computer network,        the computer including a processor and an input device, a        display device, and a receiver coupled to the processor;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to automatically        receive the data packets from the transmitter via the receiver,        wherein the receiver is configured to measure the received        strength of signals sent by the transmitter, and wherein the        portable computer is configured to compare the reference value        in the data packets and the received signal strength from the        receiver to determine a current distance between the transmitter        and the portable computer;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display a user        interface, and to switch the user interface to an apparatus        specific user interface that includes the one or more        operational parameter values for the apparatus when the computer        crosses a predetermined threshold distance from the transmitter;    -   wherein the portable computer's input device is configured to        accept input from the user and to send the input to the        apparatus.

Example 2

-   -   The system of Example 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to        change its operation according to the input from the user.

Example 3

-   -   The system of Example 1, wherein the database includes the        present value for a control parameter associated with the        apparatus;    -   wherein the apparatus specific user interface includes the        control parameter;    -   wherein the portable computer's input device is configured to        accept input changing the value of a control parameter from a        present value to a new value;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to communicate the        new value of the control parameter to the server; and    -   wherein the apparatus is configured to retrieve the new value of        the control parameter from the server and to change its        operation accordingly.

Example 4

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein the portable        computer is configured to receive the data packets from multiple        transmitters in the production environment;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to calculate the        multiple corresponding distances between the multiple        transmitters and the portable computer using the reference value        in the data packets and the received signal strength for each of        the multiple transmitters; and wherein the portable computer is        configured to display a map user interface using the display        device, the map user interface configured to display indicia        indicating that the portable computer is within the        predetermined threshold distance from each of the one or more        transmitters.

Example 5

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein one of the multiple        transmitters is the transmitter associated with the apparatus,        and/or    -   wherein one of the multiple transmitters is an equipment        transmitter associated with equipment configured to move within        the production environment independent of the portable computer        and the apparatus; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display an        equipment user interface using the display device, the equipment        user interface displaying equipment performance information when        the portable computer is within the predetermined distance from        the equipment transmitter.

Example 6

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein one of the multiple        transmitters is an employee transmitter associated with an        employee within the production environment; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display an        employee user interface using the display device, the employee        user interface displaying employee performance information when        the portable computer is within the predetermined distance from        the employee transmitter.

Example 7

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein the multiple        transmitters includes one or more product transmitters        associated with corresponding one or more products produced in        the production environment using the apparatus; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display a product        user interface using the display device, the product user        interface displaying product information when the portable        computer is within the predetermined distance from the product        transmitter.

Example 8

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein the database        includes tracking information associating users of the portable        computer with requests for transmitter specific parameters made        when the computer is within the predetermined threshold distance        from the transmitter; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured change the tracking        information associated with the transmitter to include user        identifying information for a given user of the portable        computer and a timestamp indicating when the portable computer        requested the one or more parameter values associated with the        transmitter.

Example 9

-   -   The system of Example 8, wherein the portable computer is        configured to send a request to the server for tracking        information specific to the transmitter, and wherein the        computer is configured to display a tracking user interface        configured to display the tracking information specific to the        transmitter.

Example 10

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein the transmitted        data packets include a preamble, one or more header fields, an        access address field, a Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) field, a        Protocol Data Unit (PDU) field, a Media Access Control (MAC)        address field, and a data field; and    -   wherein the reference value is the strength of a signal        transmitted by the transmitter and measured at a predetermined        distance from the transmitter.

Example 11

-   -   The system of any preceding Example, wherein the transmitter is        mounted to the apparatus.

Example 12

-   -   A method of controlling an apparatus in a production environment        according to user input, comprising wirelessly transmitting data        packets from a beacon transmitter associated with an apparatus,        wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit data packets        that include:        -   a machine identifier for the apparatus, and;        -   a reference value representing the expected signal strength            of the transmitter at a fixed distance;    -   automatically receiving the data packets from the transmitter        using a computer with a wireless receiver;    -   using the computer to calculate a current distance between the        transmitter and the computer based on a received signal strength        of the received signal and the reference value sent in the data        packets;    -   displaying a user interface using the display device of the        computer and switching the user interface to an apparatus        specific user interface when the computer moves within a        predetermined threshold distance from the transmitter, the        apparatus specific user interface displaying one or more        operational parameter values for the apparatus;    -   using the computer's input device to accept input from the user;        and    -   sending the input from the user to the apparatus using the        computer.

Example 13

-   -   The system of Example 12, wherein the apparatus is configured to        change its operation according to the input from the user.

Example 14

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 12 or 13, comprising using an        input device of the computer to accept input changing the value        of a control parameter presented in the machine specific user        interface from a present value to a new value;    -   using the computer to communicate the new value of the control        parameter over a computer network to a server configured to        store the new value of the control parameter; and    -   retrieving the new value of the control parameter from the        server and controlling the operation of the manufacturing        apparatus accordingly using a machine controller, wherein the        machine controller is in communication with the server via the        computer network.

Example 15

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 12-14, comprising receiving        the data packets from multiple transmitters in the production        environment using the receiver;    -   calculating the multiple corresponding distances between the        multiple transmitters and the portable computer using the        reference value in the data packets using the computer;    -   displaying a map user interface using the display device of the        computer, wherein the map user interface is controlled by the        computer to display indicia indicating which ones of the one or        more transmitters have corresponding distances from the computer        that are within the predetermined distance from the transmitter.

Example 16

-   -   The method of Example 15, comprising displaying an equipment        user interface using the display device, the equipment user        interface displaying equipment performance information when the        computer is within the predetermined distance from an equipment        transmitter;    -   wherein the equipment transmitter is one of the multiple        transmitters and is associated with equipment that is movable        within the production environment independent of the computer        and the manufacturing apparatus.

Example 17

-   -   The method of Example 15, comprising displaying an employee user        interface using the display device, the employee user interface        displaying employee performance information when the computer is        within the predetermined distance from an employee transmitter;    -   wherein the employee transmitter is one of the multiple        transmitters within the production environment and is kept by        employees.

Example 18

-   -   The method of Example 17, wherein the employee performance        information includes information about how frequently a specific        employees passes within the predetermined threshold distance for        each of the multiple transmitters in the production environment.

Example 19

-   -   The method of any preceding Example, comprising repositioning        the computer from a location where the user interface is        displayed, to a another different location so that a different        machine specific user interface is displayed.

Example 20

-   -   The method of any preceding Example, wherein the transmitted        data packets include a preamble, one or more header fields, an        access address field, a Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) field, a        Protocol Data Unit (PDU) field, a Media Access Control (MAC)        address field, and a data field.

Example 21

-   -   The method of any preceding Example, wherein the transmitter is        mounted to the apparatus.

Example 22

-   -   The method of any preceding Example, wherein the transmitter is        mounted to a workstation, and wherein the apparatus is        positioned at the workstation.

Example 23

-   -   A method of monitoring and controlling a production environment,        comprising wirelessly transmitting data packets from a beacon        transmitter positioned at a location in the production        environment, wherein the beacon transmitter is configured to        transmit data packets that include:        -   a location identifier for the location, and;        -   a reference value representing the expected signal strength            of the beacon transmitter at a fixed distance;    -   accepting user credentials identifying a user of a computer in        the production environment, the computer having a user interface        displayed on a display device and a receiver configured to        receive data packets from the beacon transmitter, the computer        coupled to a server by a computer network;    -   using the computer to calculate a current distance between the        beacon transmitter and the computer based on a received signal        strength of the received signal and the reference value sent in        the data packets; and    -   automatically triggering the computer to display a location        specific user interface on the computer's display device,        wherein the computer is automatically triggered by the beacon        transmitter to switch the user interface to a location specific        user interface when the computer moves within a predetermined        threshold distance from the transmitter, wherein the location        specific user interface includes information retrieved from the        server that is specific to operations occurring at that location        in the production environment, wherein the location specific        user interface is configured to accept user input.

Example 24

-   -   The method of Example 23, comprising accepting user input        selecting an employee user interface using the input device of        the computer, and displaying the employee user interface using        the display device when the computer is within the predetermined        distance from the beacon transmitter at the location;    -   wherein the employee user interface includes current work        assignments, team members working at the location, a history of        employee time working at the location, a history of employee        time away from the location, and cost of production per unit of        time, and any combination thereof.

Example 25

-   -   The method of Examples 23 or 24, comprising accepting user input        selecting an equipment user interface using the input device of        the computer, and displaying the equipment user interface using        the display device when the computer is within the predetermined        distance from the beacon transmitter at the location;    -   wherein the location is a piece of equipment in the production        environment; and    -   wherein the equipment user interface includes equipment        downtime, equipment uptime, cost of operating equipment,        equipment maintenance schedules, current work assignments in the        production environment, and any combination thereof.

Example 26

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 23-25, comprising accepting        user input selecting a workstation user interface using the        input device of the computer, and displaying the workstation        user interface using the display device when the computer is        within the predetermined distance from the beacon transmitter at        the location;    -   wherein the location is a workstation in the production        environment; and    -   wherein the workstation user interface includes information        about parts or subassemblies manufactured at a workstation,        employees at the workstation, work stoppages, raw materials        consumed, costs of operating the workstation, number of parts or        subassemblies produced over a predetermined period of time,        profit margin for the workstation, and any combination thereof.

Example 27

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 23-26, comprising        repositioning the computer from a location where the user        interface is displayed, to a another different location so that        a different location specific user interface is displayed.

Example 28

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 23-27, wherein the transmitter        is mounted to a part or subassembly that is produced in the        production environment, and wherein the computer is a portable        computer mounted to a workstation within the production        environment.

Example 29

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 23-28, comprising using the        computer to communicate the value of a control parameter over        the computer network to a workstation computer at the location,        the computer and the workstation computer coupled together by        the computer network;    -   wherein the location is a workstation with a workstation        computer having a display device configured to change the status        of the workstation in response to the control parameter, and to        display the update status information using the display device.

Example 30

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 23-29, comprising        automatically sending tracking information to the server using        the computer, the tracking information including:    -   a timestamp indicating when the computer was automatically        triggered by the beacon transmitter; and    -   at least a portion of the user credentials identifying the user        of the computer.

Example 31

-   -   A system for monitoring and controlling a production        environment, comprising a manufacturing apparatus having a        machine controller configured to control the manufacturing        apparatus according to a present value of a control parameter;    -   a server coupled to the machine controller by a computer        network, the server having a database that includes the present        value for the control parameter and one or more operating        parameter values indicating a current operating status of the        manufacturing apparatus;    -   a wireless transmitter adjacent the manufacturing apparatus, the        transmitter configured to automatically transmit data packets        wirelessly, the data packets including a reference value        representing the expected signal strength of the transmitter at        a fixed distance; and    -   a portable computer wirelessly coupled to the computer network,        the computer including a processor and an input device, a        display device, and a receiver coupled to the processor;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to automatically        receive the data packets from the transmitter via the receiver,        wherein the receiver is configured to measure the received        strength of the signal, and wherein the portable computer is        configured to compare the reference value in the data packets        and the received signal strength from the receiver to determine        a current distance between the transmitter and the portable        computer;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display a user        interface, and to switch the user interface to a machine        specific user interface that includes the control parameter and        one or more operational parameter values for the manufacturing        apparatus when the computer crosses a predetermined threshold        distance from the transmitter;    -   wherein the portable computer's input device is configured to        accept input changing the value of the control parameter from        the present value to a new value;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to communicate the        new value of the control parameter to the server; and    -   wherein the machine controller is configured to retrieve the new        value of the control parameter from the server and to adjust        operation of the manufacturing apparatus accordingly.

Example 32

-   -   A system for managing a production environment, comprising one        or more wireless transmitters in the production environment,        wherein the transmitters are configured to automatically        transmit data packets wirelessly, the data packets including a        reference value representing the expected signal strength of the        transmitter at a fixed distance, and a transmitter specific        identifier individually identifying the one or more        transmitters;    -   a database coupled to a computer network, the database storing        one or more parameter values and user tracking information        associated with the transmitters in the production environment;        and    -   a portable computer wirelessly coupled to the computer network,        the computer including a processor, a memory, an input device, a        display device, and a receiver coupled together;    -   wherein the input device is configured to accept user        credentials identifying a user for the portable computer;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to automatically        receive the data packets from a transmitter of the one or more        wireless transmitters via the receiver, wherein the receiver is        configured to measure a received strength of signals transmitted        by the transmitter, and wherein the portable computer is        configured to compare the reference value in the data packets        and the received signal strength from the receiver to determine        a current distance between the portable computer and a        transmitter of the one or more transmitters;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to automatically use        the user credentials and transmitter specific identifier from        the received data packets to automatically request from the        database the one or more parameter values associated with the        transmitter when the portable computer crosses a predetermined        threshold distance from the transmitter;    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display a user        interface, and to switch the user interface to display the one        or more transmitter specific parameter values retrieved from the        database when the portable computer crosses the predetermined        threshold distance from the transmitter; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured change the user        tracking information associated with the transmitter to include        at least some of the user credentials identifying the user of        the portable computer and a timestamp indicating when the        portable computer requested the one or more parameter values        associated with the transmitter.

Example 33

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31 or 32, wherein the portable        computer is configured to receive the data packets from multiple        transmitters in the production environment, wherein the portable        computer is configured to calculate the multiple corresponding        distances between the multiple transmitters and the portable        computer using the reference value in the data packets and the        received signal strength for each of the multiple transmitters;        and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display a map        user interface using the display device, the map user interface        configured to display indicia indicating that the portable        computer is within the predetermined threshold distance from        each of the one or more transmitters.

Example 34

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-33, wherein one of the        multiple transmitters is the transmitter associated with the        manufacturing apparatus, and/or wherein one of the multiple        transmitters is an equipment transmitter associated with        equipment configured to move within the production environment        independent of the portable computer and the manufacturing        apparatus; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to display an        equipment user interface using the display device, the equipment        user interface displaying equipment performance information when        the portable computer is within the predetermined distance from        the equipment transmitter.

Example 35

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-34, wherein one of the        multiple transmitters is an employee transmitter associated with        an employee within the production environment; and wherein the        portable computer is configured to display an employee user        interface using the display device, the employee user interface        displaying employee performance information when the portable        computer is within the predetermined distance from the employee        transmitter.

Example 36

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-35, wherein the multiple        transmitters includes one or more product transmitters        associated with corresponding one or more products produced by        the manufacturing apparatus in the production environment; and        wherein the portable computer is configured to display a product        user interface using the display device, the product user        interface displaying product information when the portable        computer is within the predetermined distance from the product        transmitter.

Example 37

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-36, wherein the portable        computer is configured to use the receiver to automatically        detect the transmitter;    -   wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a transmitter        ID identifying the transmitter in the data packets sent to the        portable computer by that transmitter; and    -   wherein the portable computer is configured to decode the        transmitter ID.

Example 38

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-37, wherein the portable        computer is configured to retrieve from the server the control        parameter value and the one or more operational parameter values        associated with the manufacturing apparatus.

Example 39

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-38, wherein the received        signal strength is a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI).

Example 40

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-39 wherein the transmitted        data packets include a preamble, one or more header fields, an        access address field, a Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) field, a        Protocol Data Unit (PDU) field, a Media Access Control (MAC)        address field, and a data field; and    -   wherein the reference value is the strength of a signal        transmitted by the transmitter and measured at a predetermined        distance from the transmitter.

Example 41

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-40, wherein the transmitted        data packets comprise a data field that includes a prefix, a        proximity Universal Unique Identifier (UUID), a major field, a        minor field, and a transmission power field containing the        reference value; and    -   wherein the reference value is a numerical value representing a        Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) of the transmitter        measured at a predetermined distance from the transmitter.

Example 42

-   -   The system of any one of Examples 31-41, wherein the transmitter        is mounted to the manufacturing apparatus.

Example 43

-   -   A method of monitoring and controlling a production environment,        comprising wirelessly transmitting data packets from a        transmitter associated with a manufacturing apparatus, wherein        the transmitter is configured to transmit data packets that        include:        -   a machine identifier for the manufacturing apparatus, and;        -   a reference value representing the expected signal strength            of the transmitter at a fixed distance;    -   automatically receiving the data packets from the transmitter        using a computer with a wireless receiver;    -   using the computer to calculate a current distance between the        transmitter and the computer based on a received signal strength        of the received signal and the reference value sent in the data        packets;    -   displaying a user interface using the display device of the        computer and switching the user interface to a machine specific        user interface when the computer moves within a predetermined        threshold distance from the transmitter, the machine specific        user interface displaying a control parameter and one or more        operational parameter values for the manufacturing apparatus;    -   using an input device of the computer to accept input changing        the value of the control parameter in the machine specific user        interface from the present value to a new value;    -   using the computer to communicate the new value of the control        parameter over a computer network to a server configured to        store the new value of the control parameter; and    -   retrieving the new value of the control parameter from the        server and controlling the operation of the manufacturing        apparatus accordingly using a machine controller, wherein the        machine controller is in communication with the server via the        computer network.

Example 44

-   -   The method of Example 43, comprising receiving the data packets        from multiple transmitters in the production environment using        the receiver;    -   calculating the multiple corresponding distances between the        multiple transmitters and the portable computer using the        reference value in the data packets using the computer;    -   displaying a map user interface using the display device of the        computer, wherein the map user interface is controlled by the        computer to display indicia indicating which ones of the one or        more transmitters have corresponding distances from the computer        that are within the predetermined distance from the transmitter.

Example 45

-   -   The method of Example 44, comprising displaying an equipment        user interface using the display device, the equipment user        interface displaying equipment performance information when the        computer is within the predetermined distance from an equipment        transmitter;    -   wherein the equipment transmitter is one of the multiple        transmitters and is associated with equipment that is movable        within the production environment independent of the computer        and the manufacturing apparatus.

Example 46

-   -   The system of Example 44 or 45, comprising displaying an        employee user interface using the display device, the employee        user interface displaying employee performance information when        the computer is within the predetermined distance from an        employee transmitter;    -   wherein the employee transmitter is associated with an employee        and is one of the multiple transmitters within the production        environment.

Example 47

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 44-46, comprising displaying a        product user interface using the display device, the product        user interface displaying product information when the computer        is within the predetermined distance from a product transmitter;    -   wherein the product transmitter is associated with corresponding        one or more products produced by the manufacturing apparatus in        the production environment; and    -   wherein the product transmitter is one of the multiple        transmitters within the production environment.

Example 48

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 43-47, comprising        repositioning the computer from a location where the user        interface is displayed, to a another different location so that        a different machine specific user interface is displayed.

Example 49

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 43-48, comprising retrieving        from the server the control parameter value and the one or more        operational parameter values associated with the manufacturing        apparatus using the computer.

Example 50

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 43-49, wherein the received        signal strength is a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI).

Example 51

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 43-50, wherein the transmitted        data packets include a preamble, one or more header fields, an        access address field, a Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) field, a        Protocol Data Unit (PDU) field, a Media Access Control (MAC)        address field, and a data field.

Example 52

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 43-51, wherein the transmitted        data packets comprise a data field that includes a prefix, a        proximity Universal Unique Identifier (UUID), a major field, a        minor field, and a transmission power field containing the        signal strength; and    -   wherein the reference value is a Received Signal Strength        Indication (RSSI).

Example 53

-   -   The method of any one of Examples 43-52, wherein the transmitter        is mounted to the manufacturing apparatus.

It should be noted that the singular forms “a”, “an”, “the”, and thelike as used in the description and/or the claims include the pluralforms unless expressly discussed otherwise. For example, if thespecification and/or claims refer to “a device” or “the device”, itincludes one or more of such devices.

It should be noted that directional terms, such as “up”, “down”, “top”“bottom”, “fore”, “aft”, “lateral”, “longitudinal”, “radial”,“circumferential”, etc., are used herein solely for the convenience ofthe reader in order to aid in the reader's understanding of theillustrated embodiments, and it is not the intent that the use of thesedirectional terms in any manner limit the described, illustrated, and/orclaimed features to a specific direction and/or orientation.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allchanges, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit ofthe inventions defined by following claims are desired to be protected.All publications, patents, and patent applications cited in thisspecification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individualpublication, patent, or patent application were specifically andindividually indicated to be incorporated by reference and set forth inits entirety herein.

Glossary of Definitions and Alternatives

The language used in the claims and specification is to only have itsplain and ordinary meaning, except as explicitly defined below. Thewords in these definitions are to only have their plain and ordinarymeaning. Such plain and ordinary meaning is inclusive of all consistentdictionary definitions from the most recently published Webster's andRandom House dictionaries. As used in the specification and claims, thefollowing definitions apply to the following terms or common variationsthereof (e.g., singular/plural forms, past/present tenses, etc.):

“Antenna” or “Antenna system” generally refers to an electrical device,or series of devices, in any suitable configuration, that convertselectric power into electromagnetic radiation. Such radiation may beeither vertically, horizontally, or circularly polarized at anyfrequency along the electromagnetic spectrum. Antennas transmitting withcircular polarity may have either right-handed or left-handedpolarization.

In the case of radio waves, an antenna may transmit at frequenciesranging along electromagnetic spectrum from extremely low frequency(ELF) to extremely high frequency (EHF). An antenna or antenna systemdesigned to transmit radio waves may comprise an arrangement of metallicconductors (elements), electrically connected (often through atransmission line) to a receiver or transmitter. An oscillating currentof electrons forced through the antenna by a transmitter can create anoscillating magnetic field around the antenna elements, while the chargeof the electrons also creates an oscillating electric field along theelements. These time-varying fields radiate away from the antenna intospace as a moving transverse electromagnetic field wave. Conversely,during reception, the oscillating electric and magnetic fields of anincoming electromagnetic wave exert force on the electrons in theantenna elements, causing them to move back and forth, creatingoscillating currents in the antenna. These currents can then be detectedby receivers and processed to retrieve digital or analog signals ordata.

Antennas can be designed to transmit and receive radio wavessubstantially equally in all horizontal directions (omnidirectionalantennas), or preferentially in a particular direction (directional orhigh gain antennas). In the latter case, an antenna may also includeadditional elements or surfaces which may or may not have any physicalelectrical connection to the transmitter or receiver. For example,parasitic elements, parabolic reflectors or horns, and other suchnon-energized elements serve to direct the radio waves into a beam orother desired radiation pattern. Thus antennas may be configured toexhibit increased or decreased directionality or “gain” by the placementof these various surfaces or elements. High gain antennas can beconfigured to direct a substantially large portion of the radiatedelectromagnetic energy in a given direction that may be verticalhorizontal or any combination thereof.

Antennas may also be configured to radiate electromagnetic energy withina specific range of vertical angles (i.e. “takeoff angles) relative tothe earth in order to focus electromagnetic energy toward an upper layerof the atmosphere such as the ionosphere. By directing electromagneticenergy toward the upper atmosphere at a specific angle, specific skipdistances may be achieved at particular times of day by transmittingelectromagnetic energy at particular frequencies.

Other examples of antennas include emitters and sensors that convertelectrical energy into pulses of electromagnetic energy in the visibleor invisible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Examplesinclude light emitting diodes, lasers, and the like that are configuredto generate electromagnetic energy at frequencies ranging along theelectromagnetic spectrum from far infrared to extreme ultraviolet.

“Beacon” or “beacon transmitter” generally refers to a system orapparatus configured to transmit data using electromagnetic energy. Thebroadcasted data may include any suitable data such as a string ofalphanumeric characters uniquely identifying one beacon from others inthe environment. Data may appear in a single field in a datagram, or inmultiple separate fields. Any suitable protocol may be used to createand transmit the datagrams using any suitable arrangement of fields. Thefields may include predetermined numbers of bits according toproprietary or commercially available protocols. One example of acommercially available protocol is the Bluetooth® LE (Low Energy)protocol, also referred to as Bluetooth® Smart protocol.

Datagrams may include one or more fields that may include a preamble,one or more header fields, an access address field, a CyclicalRedundancy Check (CRC) field, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) field, a MediaAccess Control (MAC) address field, and a data field. The data field mayinclude an prefix and a proximity Universal Unique Identifier (UUID)which may be configured to distinguish beacons used by one organizationfrom those of another organization. Other data fields may include amajor field which may be used to identify multiple beacons as a group, aminor field which may uniquely identify a specific beacon within agroup, and a transmission power field which may indicate how far abeacon is from a receiver. The transmitter power field may include oneof a set of data values representing distance ranges such as“immediate”, “far”, or “out of range”. A transmission power field mayalso include more detailed ranging data such as the Received SignalStrength Indication (RSSI) of the beacon at a predetermined range suchas 1 meter away. This value may be compared to a current RSSI measuredby a receiver and used to calculate an approximate range.

A beacon may include a receiver allowing the beacon to beginbroadcasting after receiving a signal from another transmitter. In oneexample, a beacon may collect energy from the electromagnetic energydirected toward it and may use this energy to transmit its data inresponse. This type of “passive” beacon may only transmit when energizedto do so by some other transmitter. In another example, beacons may havea local power source such as a battery and may transmit continuouslyand/or at predetermined intervals. In either case, the data sent by thebeacon may pass through walls or other objects between the beacon and areceiver making it unnecessary to maintain an unobstructed line of sightbetween the two.

A beacon may transmit on any suitable frequency or group of frequenciesin the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, a beacon may transmit inthe Very High Frequency range (VHF), the Ultra High Frequency range(UHF), or in the Super High Frequency range (SHF). Transmissions from abeacon may be directed along a narrow beam by a directional antennasystem used by the beacon, or the beacon may use an omnidirectionalantenna system configured to broadcast the data in all directions atabout the same time.

The data may be programmed in a memory such as a nonvolatile memory inthe beacon for repeated transmission at predetermined intervals. Forexample, transmissions may be repeated up to about every 500 ms, up toabout every 2 seconds, up to about every 30 seconds, or at intervalsgreater than 30 seconds apart. Beacons may transmit at a very lowTransmitter Power Output (TPO) and/or Effective Radiated Power (ERP).TPO or ERP may be less than about 100 milliwatts, less than about 10milliwatts, or less than about 1 milliwatt.

Examples of commercially available suitable beacon transmitters includebeacons available from Estimote, Inc. of New York, N.Y., USA, or fromGimbal, Inc., of San Diego, Calif., USA.

“Computer” generally refers to any computing device configured tocompute a result from any number of input values or variables. Acomputer may include a processor for performing calculations to processinput or output. A computer may include a memory for storing values tobe processed by the processor, or for storing the results of previousprocessing.

A computer may also be configured to accept input and output from a widearray of input and output devices for receiving or sending values. Suchdevices include other computers, keyboards, mice, visual displays,printers, industrial equipment, and systems or machinery of all typesand sizes. For example, a computer can control a network or networkinterface to perform various network communications upon request. Thenetwork interface may be part of the computer, or characterized asseparate and remote from the computer.

A computer may be a single, physical, computing device such as a desktopcomputer, a laptop computer, or may be composed of multiple devices ofthe same type such as a group of servers operating as one device in anetworked cluster, or a heterogeneous combination of different computingdevices operating as one computer and linked together by a communicationnetwork. The communication network connected to the computer may also beconnected to a wider network such as the internet. Thus a computer mayinclude one or more physical processors or other computing devices orcircuitry, and may also include any suitable type of memory.

A computer may also be a virtual computing platform having an unknown orfluctuating number of physical processors and memories or memorydevices. A computer may thus be physically located in one geographicallocation or physically spread across several widely scattered locationswith multiple processors linked together by a communication network tooperate as a single computer.

The concept of “computer” and “processor” within a computer or computingdevice also encompasses any such processor or computing device servingto make calculations or comparisons as part of the disclosed system.Processing operations related to threshold comparisons, rulescomparisons, calculations, and the like occurring in a computer mayoccur, for example, on separate servers, the same server with separateprocessors, or on a virtual computing environment having an unknownnumber of physical processors as described above.

A computer may be optionally coupled to one or more visual displaysand/or may include an integrated visual display. Likewise, displays maybe of the same type, or a heterogeneous combination of different visualdevices. A computer may also include one or more operator input devicessuch as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, laser or infrared pointingdevice, or gyroscopic pointing device to name just a few representativeexamples. Also, besides a display, one or more other output devices maybe included such as a printer, plotter, industrial manufacturingmachine, 3D printer, and the like. As such, various display, input andoutput device arrangements are possible.

Multiple computers or computing devices may be configured to communicatewith one another or with other devices over wired or wirelesscommunication links to form a network. Network communications may passthrough various computers operating as network appliances such asswitches, routers, firewalls or other network devices or interfacesbefore passing over other larger computer networks such as the internet.Communications can also be passed over the network as wireless datatransmissions carried over electromagnetic waves through transmissionlines or free space. Such communications include using WiFi or otherWireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or a cellular transmitter/receiver totransfer data.

“Data” generally refers to one or more values of qualitative orquantitative variables that are usually the result of measurements. Datamay be considered “atomic” as being finite individual units of specificinformation. Data can also be thought of as a value or set of valuesthat includes a frame of reference indicating some meaning associatedwith the values. For example, the number “2” alone is a symbol thatabsent some context is meaningless. The number “2” may be considered“data” when it is understood to indicate, for example, the number ofitems produced in an hour.

Data may be organized and represented in a structured format. Examplesinclude a tabular representation using rows and columns, a treerepresentation with a set of nodes considered to have a parent-childrenrelationship, or a graph representation as a set of connected nodes toname a few.

The term “data” can refer to unprocessed data or “raw data” such as acollection of numbers, characters, or other symbols representingindividual facts or opinions. Data may be collected by sensors incontrolled or uncontrolled environments, or generated by observation,recording, or by processing of other data. The word “data” may be usedin a plural or singular form. The older plural form “datum” may be usedas well.

“Database” also referred to as a “data store”, “data repository”, or“knowledge base” generally refers to an organized collection of data.The data is typically organized to model aspects of the real world in away that supports processes obtaining information about the world fromthe data. Access to the data is generally provided by a “DatabaseManagement System” (DBMS) consisting of an individual computer softwareprogram or organized set of software programs that allow user tointeract with one or more databases providing access to data stored inthe database (although user access restrictions may be put in place tolimit access to some portion of the data). The DBMS provides variousfunctions that allow entry, storage and retrieval of large quantities ofinformation as well as ways to manage how that information is organized.A database is not generally portable across different DBMSs, butdifferent DBMSs can interoperate by using standardized protocols andlanguages such as Structured Query Language (SQL), Open DatabaseConnectivity (ODBC), Java Database Connectivity (JDBC), or ExtensibleMarkup Language (XML) to allow a single application to work with morethan one DBMS.

Databases and their corresponding database management systems are oftenclassified according to a particular database model they support.Examples include a DBMS that relies on the “relational model” forstoring data, usually referred to as Relational Database ManagementSystems (RDBMS). Such systems commonly use some variation of SQL toperform functions which include querying, formatting, administering, andupdating an RDBMS. Other examples of database models include the“object” model, the “object-relational” model, the “file”, “indexedfile” or “flat-file” models, the “hierarchical” model, the “network”model, the “document” model, the “XML” model using some variation ofXML, the “entity-attribute-value” model, and others.

Examples of commercially available database management systems includePostgreSQL provided by the PostgreSQL Global Development Group;Microsoft SQL Server provided by the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond,Wash., USA; MySQL and various versions of the Oracle DBMS, oftenreferred to as simply “Oracle” both separately offered by the OracleCorporation of Redwood City, Calif., USA; the DBMS generally referred toas “SAP” provided by SAP SE of Walldorf, Germany; and the DB2 DBMSprovided by the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) ofArmonk, N.Y., USA.

The database and the DBMS software may also be referred to collectivelyas a “database”. Similarly, the term “database” may also collectivelyrefer to the database, the corresponding DBMS software, and a physicalcomputer or collection of computers. Thus the term “database” may referto the data, software for managing the data, and/or a physical computerthat includes some or all of the data and/or the software for managingthe data.

“Display device” generally refers to any device capable of beingcontrolled by an electronic circuit or processor to display informationin a visual or tactile. A display device may be configured as an inputdevice taking input from a user or other system (e.g. a touch sensitivecomputer screen), or as an output device generating visual or tactileinformation, or the display device may configured to operate as both aninput or output device at the same time, or at different times.

The output may be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and/or mechanicaldisplays and includes, but is not limited to, the following displaytechnologies: Cathode ray tube display (CRT), Light-emitting diodedisplay (LED), Electroluminescent display (ELD), Electronic paper,Electrophoretic Ink (E-ink), Plasma display panel (PDP), Liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), High-Performance Addressing display (HPA), Thin-filmtransistor display (TFT), Organic light-emitting diode display (OLED),Surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED), Laser TV, Carbonnanotubes, Quantum dot display, Interferometric modulator display(IMOD), Swept-volume display, Varifocal mirror display, Emissive volumedisplay, Laser display, Holographic display, Light field displays,Volumetric display, Ticker tape, Split-flap display, Flip-disc display(or flip-dot display), Rollsign, mechanical gauges with moving needlesand accompanying indicia, Tactile electronic displays (aka refreshableBraille display), Optacon displays, or any devices that either alone orin combination are configured to provide visual feedback on the statusof a system, such as the “check engine” light, a “low altitude” warninglight, an array of red, yellow, and green indicators configured toindicate a temperature range.

“Electromagnetic Radiation” generally refers to energy radiated byelectromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic radiation is produced from othertypes of energy, and is converted to other types when it is destroyed.Electromagnetic radiation carries this energy as it travels moving awayfrom its source at the speed of light (in a vacuum). Electromagneticradiation also carries both momentum and angular momentum. Theseproperties may all be imparted to matter with which the electromagneticradiation interacts as it moves outwardly away from its source.

Electromagnetic radiation changes speed as it passes from one medium toanother. When transitioning from one media to the next, the physicalproperties of the new medium can cause some or all of the radiatedenergy to be reflected while the remaining energy passes into the newmedium. This occurs at every junction between media that electromagneticradiation encounters as it travels.

The photon is the quantum of the electromagnetic interaction, and is thebasic constituent of all forms of electromagnetic radiation. The quantumnature of light becomes more apparent at high frequencies aselectromagnetic radiation behaves more like particles and less likewaves as its frequency increases.

“Electromagnetic Spectrum” generally refers to the range of all possiblefrequencies of electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic spectrumis generally categorized as follows, in order of increasing frequencyand energy and decreasing wavelength:

-   -   “Extremely low frequency” (ELF) generally designates a band of        frequencies from about 3 to about 30 Hz with wavelengths from        about 100,000 to 10,000 km long.    -   “Super low frequency” (SLF) generally designates a band of        frequencies generally ranging between about 30 Hz to about 300        Hz with wavelengths of about 10,000 to about 1000 km long.    -   “Voice frequency” or “voice band” generally designates        electromagnetic energy that is audibles to the human ear. Adult        males generally speak in the range between about 85 and about        180 Hz while adult females generally converse in the range from        about 165 to about 255 Hz.    -   “Very low frequency” (VLF) generally designates the band of        frequencies from about 3 kHz to about 30 kHz with corresponding        wavelengths from about 10 to about 100 km long.    -   “Low-frequency” (LF) generally designates the band of        frequencies in the range of about 30 kHz to about 300 kHz with        wavelengths range from about 1 to about 10 km.    -   “Medium frequency” (MF) generally designates the band of        frequencies from about 300 kHz to about 3 MHz with wavelengths        from about 1000 to about 100 m long.    -   “High frequency” (HF) generally designates the band of        frequencies from about 3 MHz to about 30 MHz having wavelengths        from about 100 m to about 10 m long.    -   “Very high frequency” (VHF) generally designates the band of        frequencies from about 30 Hz to about 300 MHz with wavelengths        from about 10 m to about 1 m long.    -   “Ultra high frequency” (UHF) generally designates the band of        frequencies from about 300 MHz to about 3 GHz with weight        wavelengths ranging from about 1 m to about 10 cm long.    -   “Super high frequency” (SHF) generally designates the band of        frequencies from about 3 GHz to about 30 GHz with wavelengths        ranging from about 10 cm to about 1 cm long.    -   “Extremely high frequency” (EHF) generally designates the band        of frequencies from about 30 GHz to about 300 GHz with        wavelengths ranging from about 1 cm to about 1 mm long.    -   “Far infrared” (FIR) generally designates a band of frequencies        from about 300 GHz to about 20 THz with wavelengths ranging from        about 1 mm to about 15 μm long.    -   “Long-wavelength infrared” (LWIR) generally designates a band of        frequencies from about 20 THz to about 37 THz with wavelengths        ranging from about 15 μm to about 8 μm long.    -   “Mid infrared” (MIR) generally designates a band of frequencies        from about 37 THz to about 100 THz with wavelengths from about 8        μm to about 3 μm long.    -   “Short wavelength infrared” (SWIR) generally designates a band        of frequencies from about 100 THz to about 214 THz with        wavelengths from about 3 μm to about 1.4 μm long    -   “Near-infrared” (NIR) generally designates a band of frequencies        from about 214 THz to about 400 THz with wavelengths from about        1.4 μm to about 750 nm long.    -   “Visible light” generally designates a band of frequencies from        about 400 THz to about 750 THz with wavelengths from about 750        nm to about 400 nm long.    -   “Near ultraviolet” (NUV) generally designates a band of        frequencies from about 750 THz to about 1 PHz with wavelengths        from about 400 nm to about 300 nm long.    -   “Middle ultraviolet” (MUV) generally designates a band of        frequencies from about 1 PHz to about 1.5 PHz with wavelengths        from about 300 nm to about 200 nm long.    -   “Far ultraviolet” (FUV) generally designates a band of        frequencies from about 1.5 PHz to about 2.48 PHz with        wavelengths from about 200 nm to about 122 nm long.    -   “Extreme ultraviolet” (EUV) generally designates a band of        frequencies from about 2.48 PHz to about 30 PHz with wavelengths        from about 121 nm to about 10 nm long.    -   “Soft x-rays” (SX) generally designates a band of frequencies        from about 30 PHz to about 3 EHz with wavelengths from about 10        nm to about 100 pm long.    -   “Hard x-rays” (HX) generally designates a band of frequencies        from about 3 EHz to about 30 EHz with wavelengths from about 100        pm to about 10 pm long.    -   “Gamma rays” generally designates a band of frequencies above        about 30 EHz with wavelengths less than about 10 pm long.

“Electromagnetic Waves” generally refers to waves having a separateelectrical and a magnetic component. The electrical and magneticcomponents of an electromagnetic wave oscillate in phase and are alwaysseparated by a 90 degree angle. Electromagnetic waves can radiate from asource to create electromagnetic radiation capable of passing through amedium or through a vacuum. Electromagnetic waves include wavesoscillating at any frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum including,but not limited to, radio waves, visible and invisible light, X-rays,and gamma-rays.

“Input Device” generally refers to any device coupled to a computer thatis configured to receive input and deliver the input to a processor,memory, or other part of the computer. Such input devices can includekeyboards, mice, trackballs, touch sensitive pointing devices such astouchpads, or touchscreens. Input devices also include any sensor orsensor array for detecting environmental conditions such as temperature,light, noise, vibration, humidity, and the like.

“Memory” generally refers to any storage system or device configured toretain data or information. Each memory may include one or more types ofsolid-state electronic memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, justto name a few. Memory may use any suitable storage technology, orcombination of storage technologies, and may be volatile, nonvolatile,or a hybrid combination of volatile and nonvolatile varieties. By way ofnon-limiting example, each memory may include solid-state electronicRandom Access Memory (RAM), Sequentially Accessible Memory (SAM) (suchas the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) variety or the Last-In-First-Out(LIFO) variety), Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM), ElectronicallyProgrammable Read Only Memory (EPROM), or Electrically ErasableProgrammable Read Only Memory (EEPROM).

Memory can refer to Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) or any variants,including static random access memory (SRAM), Burst SRAM or Synch BurstSRAM (BSRAM), Fast Page Mode DRAM (FPM DRAM), Enhanced DRAM (EDRAM),Extended Data Output RAM (EDO RAM), Extended Data Output DRAM (EDODRAM), Burst Extended Data Output DRAM (REDO DRAM), Single Data RateSynchronous DRAM (SDR SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), DirectRambus DRAM (DRDRAM), or Extreme Data Rate DRAM (XDR DRAM).

Memory can also refer to non-volatile storage technologies such asnon-volatile read access memory (NVRAM), flash memory, non-volatilestatic RAM (nvSRAM), Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), Magnetoresistive RAM(MRAM), Phase-change memory (PRAM), conductive-bridging RAM (CBRAM),Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon (SONOS), Resistive RAM (RRAM),Domain Wall Memory (DWM) or “Racetrack” memory, Nano-RAM (NRAM), orMillipede memory. Other non-volatile types of memory include opticaldisc memory (such as a DVD or CD ROM), a magnetically encoded hard discor hard disc platter, floppy disc, tape, or cartridge media. The conceptof a “memory” includes the use of any suitable storage technology or anycombination of storage technologies.

“Module” or “Engine” generally refers to a collection of computationalor logic circuits implemented in hardware, or to a series of logic orcomputational instructions expressed in executable, object, or sourcecode, or any combination thereof, configured to perform tasks orimplement processes. A module may be implemented in software maintainedin volatile memory in a computer and executed by a processor or othercircuit. A module may be implemented as software stored in anerasable/programmable nonvolatile memory and executed by a processor orprocessors. A module may be implanted as software coded into anApplication Specific Information Integrated Circuit (ASIC). A module maybe a collection of digital or analog circuits configured to control amachine to generate a desired outcome.

Modules may be executed on a single computer with one or moreprocessors, or by multiple computers with multiple processors coupledtogether by a network. Separate aspects, computations, or functionalityperformed by a module may be executed by separate processors on separatecomputers, by the same processor on the same computer, or by differentcomputers at different times.

“Multiple” as used herein is synonymous with the term “plurality” andrefers to more than one, or by extension, two or more.

“Network” or “Computer Network” generally refers to a telecommunicationsnetwork that allows computers to exchange data. Computers can pass datato each other along data connections by transforming data into acollection of datagrams or packets. The connections between computersand the network may be established using either cables, optical fibers,or via electromagnetic transmissions such as for wireless networkdevices.

Computers coupled to a network may be referred to as “nodes” or as“hosts” and may originate, broadcast, route, or accept data from thenetwork. Nodes can include any computing device such as personalcomputers, phones, servers as well as specialized computers that operateto maintain the flow of data across the network, referred to as “networkdevices”. Two nodes can be considered “networked together” when onedevice is able to exchange information with another device, whether ornot they have a direct connection to each other.

Examples of wired network connections may include Digital SubscriberLines (DSL), coaxial cable lines, or optical fiber lines. The wirelessconnections may include BLUETOOTH, Worldwide Interoperability forMicrowave Access (WiMAX), infrared channel or satellite band, or anywireless local area network (Wi-Fi) such as those implemented using theInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11standards (e.g. 802.11(a), 802.11(b), 802.11(g), or 802.11(n) to name afew). Wireless links may also include or use any cellular networkstandards used to communicate among mobile devices including 1G, 2G, 3G,or 4G. The network standards may qualify as 1G, 2G, etc. by fulfilling aspecification or standards such as the specifications maintained byInternational Telecommunication Union (ITU). For example, a network maybe referred to as a “3G network” if it meets the criteria in theInternational Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specificationregardless of what it may otherwise be referred to. A network may bereferred to as a “4G network” if it meets the requirements of theInternational Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMTAdvanced)specification. Examples of cellular network or other wireless standardsinclude AMPS, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, LTE Advanced, Mobile WiMAX, andWiMAX-Advanced.

Cellular network standards may use various channel access methods suchas FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, or SDMA. Different types of data may be transmittedvia different links and standards, or the same types of data may betransmitted via different links and standards.

The geographical scope of the network may vary widely. Examples includea body area network (BAN), a personal area network (PAN), a local-areanetwork (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network(WAN), or the Internet.

A network may have any suitable network topology defining the number anduse of the network connections. The network topology may be of anysuitable form and may include point-to-point, bus, star, ring, mesh, ortree. A network may be an overlay network which is virtual and isconfigured as one or more layers that use or “lay on top of” othernetworks.

A network may utilize different communication protocols or messagingtechniques including layers or stacks of protocols. Examples include theEthernet protocol, the internet protocol suite (TCP/IP), the ATM(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) technique, the SONET (Synchronous OpticalNetworking) protocol, or the SDE1 (Synchronous Digital Elierarchy)protocol. The TCP/IP internet protocol suite may include applicationlayer, transport layer, internet layer (including, e.g., IPv6), or thelink layer.

“Output Device” generally refers to any device or collection of devicesthat is controlled by computer to produce an output. This includes anysystem, apparatus, or equipment receiving signals from a computer tocontrol the device to generate or create some type of output. Examplesof output devices include, but are not limited to, screens or monitorsdisplaying graphical output, any projector a projecting deviceprojecting a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image, any kind ofprinter, plotter, or similar device producing either two-dimensional orthree-dimensional representations of the output fixed in any tangiblemedium (e.g. a laser printer printing on paper, a lathe controlled tomachine a piece of metal, or a three-dimensional printer producing anobject). An output device may also produce intangible output such as,for example, data stored in a database, or electromagnetic energytransmitted through a medium or through free space such as audioproduced by a speaker controlled by the computer, radio signalstransmitted through free space, or pulses of light passing through afiber-optic cable.

“Personal computing device” generally refers to a computing deviceconfigured for use by individual people. Examples include mobile devicessuch as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, wearablecomputers installed in items worn on the human body such as in eyeglasses, laptop computers, portable music/video players, computers inautomobiles, or cellular telephones such as smart phones. Personalcomputing devices can be devices that are typically not mobile such asdesk top computers, game consoles, or server computers. Personalcomputing devices may include any suitable input/output devices and maybe configured to access a network such as through a wireless or wiredconnection, and/or via other network hardware.

“Processor” generally refers to one or more electronic componentsconfigured to operate as a single unit configured or programmed toprocess input to generate an output. Alternatively, when of amulti-component form, a processor may have one or more componentslocated remotely relative to the others. One or more components of eachprocessor may be of the electronic variety defining digital circuitry,analog circuitry, or both. In one example, each processor is of aconventional, integrated circuit microprocessor arrangement, such as oneor more PENTIUM, i3, i5 or i7 processors supplied by INTEL Corporationof Santa Clara, Calif., USA. Other examples of commercially availableprocessors include but are not limited to the X8 and Freescale Coldfireprocessors made by Motorola Corporation of Schaumburg, Ill., USA; theARM processor and TEGRA System on a Chip (SoC) processors manufacturedby Nvidia of Santa Clara, Calif., USA; the POWER7 processor manufacturedby International Business Machines of White Plains, N.Y., USA; any ofthe FX, Phenom, Athlon, Sempron, or Opteron processors manufactured byAdvanced Micro Devices of Sunnyvale, Calif., USA; or the Snapdragon SoCprocessors manufactured by Qalcomm of San Diego, Calif., USA.

A processor also includes Application-Specific Integrated Circuit(ASIC). An ASIC is an Integrated Circuit (IC) customized to perform aspecific series of logical operations is controlling a computer toperform specific tasks or functions. An ASIC is an example of aprocessor for a special purpose computer, rather than a processorconfigured for general-purpose use. An application-specific integratedcircuit generally is not reprogrammable to perform other functions andmay be programmed once when it is manufactured.

In another example, a processor may be of the “field programmable” type.Such processors may be programmed multiple times “in the field” toperform various specialized or general functions after they aremanufactured. A field-programmable processor may include aField-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) in an integrated circuit in theprocessor. FPGA may be programmed to perform a specific series ofinstructions which may be retained in nonvolatile memory cells in theFPGA. The FPGA may be configured by a customer or a designer using ahardware description language (HDL). In FPGA may be reprogrammed usinganother computer to reconfigure the FPGA to implement a new set ofcommands or operating instructions. Such an operation may be executed inany suitable means such as by a firmware upgrade to the processorcircuitry.

Just as the concept of a computer is not limited to a single physicaldevice in a single location, so also the concept of a “processor” is notlimited to a single physical logic circuit or package of circuits butincludes one or more such circuits or circuit packages possiblycontained within or across multiple computers in numerous physicallocations. In a virtual computing environment, an unknown number ofphysical processors may be actively processing data, the unknown numbermay automatically change over time as well.

The concept of a “processor” includes a device configured or programmedto make threshold comparisons, rules comparisons, calculations, orperform logical operations applying a rule to data yielding a logicalresult (e.g. “true” or “false”). Processing activities may occur inmultiple single processors on separate servers, on multiple processorsin a single server with separate processors, or on multiple processorsphysically remote from one another in separate computing devices.

“Receiver” generally refers to a device configured to receive, forexample, digital or analog signals carrying information viaelectromagnetic energy. A receiver using electromagnetic energy mayoperate with an antenna or antenna system to intercept electromagneticwaves passing through a medium such as air, a conductor such as ametallic cable, or through glass fibers. A receiver can be a separatepiece of electronic equipment, or an electrical circuit within anotherelectronic device. A receiver and a transmitter combined in one unit arecalled a “transceiver”.

A receiver may use electronic circuits configured to filter or separateone or more desired radio frequency signals from all the other signalsreceived by the antenna, an electronic amplifier to increase the powerof the signal for further processing, and circuits configured todemodulate the information received.

Examples of the information received include sound (an audio signal),images (a video signal) or data (a digital signal). Devices that containradio receivers include television sets, radar equipment, two-wayradios, cell phones and other cellular devices, wireless computernetworks, GPS navigation devices, radio telescopes, Bluetooth enableddevices, garage door openers,

“Rule” generally refers to a conditional statement with at least twooutcomes. A rule may be compared to available data which can yield apositive result (all aspects of the conditional statement of the ruleare satisfied by the data), or a negative result (at least one aspect ofthe conditional statement of the rule is not satisfied by the data). Oneexample of a rule is shown below as pseudo code of an “if/then/else”statement that may be coded in a programming language and executed by aprocessor in a computer:

if(clouds.areGrey( ) and (clouds.numberOfClouds > 100)) then { preparefor rain; } else { Prepare for sunshine; }

“Transmit” generally refers to causing something to be transferred,communicated, conveyed, relayed, dispatched, or forwarded. The conceptmay or may not include the act of conveying something from atransmitting entity to a receiving entity. For example, a transmissionmay be received without knowledge as to who or what transmitted it.Likewise the transmission may be sent with or without knowledge of whoor what is receiving it. To “transmit” may include, but is not limitedto, the act of sending or broadcasting electromagnetic energy at anysuitable frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum. Transmissions mayinclude digital signals which may define various types of binary datasuch as datagrams, packets and the like. A transmission may also includeanalog signals.

“Triggering a Rule” generally refers to an outcome that follows when allelements of a conditional statement expressed in a rule are satisfied.In this context, a conditional statement may result in either a positiveresult (all conditions of the rule are satisfied by the data), or anegative result (at least one of the conditions of the rule is notsatisfied by the data) when compared to available data. The conditionsexpressed in the rule are triggered if all conditions are met causingprogram execution to proceed along a different path than if the rule isnot triggered.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a wireless transmitteradjacent to an object in a production environment, the transmitterconfigured to automatically transmit data defining a reference valuewhich represents a known signal strength of the transmitter measured ata predefined fixed distance; a portable computer having a display deviceand a wireless receiver responsive to the wireless transmitter adjacentthe object; wherein the portable computer is configured toautomatically: receive the reference value from the wirelesstransmitter; measure the current received strength of signals currentlysent by the transmitter and received by the wireless receiver; compute adistance between the transmitter and the portable computer by comparingthe known signal strength of the reference value and the received signalstrength; present a user interface using the display device thatincludes a first set of information about the object when the distancebetween the portable computer and transmitter is greater than apredetermined threshold, and a second set of information about theobject when the distance between the portable computer and thetransmitter is less than the predetermined threshold, the transmitterthus automatically controlling the portable computer based on thedistance between the portable computer and the transmitter; display amap display in the user interface, the map display having a first and aseparate second indicator corresponding to the object, the userinterface displaying the first indicator when the distance between theportable computer and transmitter is greater than a predeterminedthreshold, and the second indicator when the distance between theportable computer and the transmitter is less than the predeterminedthreshold; and accept user input selecting the first or secondindicators on the map display, wherein the user interface is configuredto display the first set of information about the object when the userinput selects the first indicator and the distance between the portablecomputer and transmitter is greater than a predetermined threshold, andto display the second set of information about the object when the userselects the second indicator when the distance between the portablecomputer and the transmitter is less than the predetermined threshold.2. The system of claim 1, comprising: multiple other wirelesstransmitters associated with multiple other objects, the multiple othertransmitters configured to automatically transmit corresponding multipleother reference values representing a known signal strength for eachtransmitter measured at a predefined fixed distance; wherein theportable computer is configured to operate in a scanning mode thatincludes: receiving the multiple other reference values from themultiple other wireless transmitters; computing multiple separatedistances between the multiple other transmitters and the portablecomputer using the reference values and received signal strengths fromeach of the multiple other wireless transmitters; and displaying firstand second different object indicators on the map user interface usingthe display device, the user interface displaying the first indicatorfor each of the multiple transmitters that is greater than apredetermined threshold distance from the receiver, and the userinterface displaying the second indicator for each of the multipletransmitters that is less than a predetermined threshold distance fromthe receiver.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein one of the multipletransmitters is an employee transmitter associated with an employee; andwherein the portable computer is configured to automatically change theuser interface to display employee information when the portablecomputer is within the predetermined threshold distance from theemployee transmitter.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein one of themultiple transmitters is a product transmitter associated with a productproduced in the production environment; and wherein the portablecomputer is configured to automatically change the user interface todisplay product information when the portable computer is within thepredetermined threshold distance from the product transmitter.
 5. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the user interface is configured to acceptinput deactivating the scanning mode, and wherein the user interfaceretains the corresponding first or second indicators for each of themultiple transmitters when the scanning mode is deactivated.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the portable computer is configured to acceptinput defining the user as a worker, and wherein the user interfaceincludes information about the object specifically for workers and notfor others.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computer isconfigured to accept input defining the user as a supervisor, andwherein the user interface includes information about the objectspecifically for supervisors and not for others.
 8. The system of claim1, comprising: a server in communication with the object via a computernetwork, the server having a database that includes the informationabout the object; wherein the portable computer is in communication withthe server via the computer network; wherein the data sent by thetransmitter includes an identifier for identifying the object; whereinthe portable computer is configured to automatically receive theidentifier and to use the identifier to retrieve the information aboutthe object.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the information about theobject includes operating parameter values for the object; wherein theuser interface is configured to display the current operating parametervalues; wherein the portable computer is configured to: accept inputchanging the value of at least one operating parameter from the presentvalue to a new value; and communicate the new value of the at least oneoperating parameter to the server; and wherein the object is configuredto retrieve the new value of the operating parameter from the server andto adjust its operation accordingly.
 10. The system of claim 9, whereinthe database includes tracking information associating users of theportable computer with requests for operating parameters made when thecomputer is within the predetermined threshold distance from thetransmitter; and wherein the portable computer is configured change thetracking information associated with the transmitter to include useridentifying information for a given user of the portable computer and atimestamp indicating when the portable computer requested the one ormore parameter values associated with the transmitter.
 11. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the transmitted data includes data packets having apreamble, one or more header fields, an access address field, a CyclicalRedundancy Check (CRC) field, a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) field, a MediaAccess Control (MAC) address field, and a data field.
 12. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the object is an apparatus used in the production ofproducts in the production environment, and wherein the transmitter ismounted to the apparatus.
 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the objectis a piece of mobile equipment used in the production environment, andwherein the transmitter is mounted to the piece of equipment.